It’s been about 6 months since I posted here and it appears that other Flyball related blogs have been somewhat dormant too.   I know that people are posting on the Flyball forum but it has also been slow.  I guess more people like to play than talk about it.

By now people have chosen one organization or the other.  Some play in both but here in the south it seems that some have gone over to one or the other and only play in one.  I have tried to keep out of it and I haven’t been keeping track of any announcements from either organization.  I only look at my dog’s points and that is it.  I’ve stayed away from board minutes, Chairman Announcements, and just about anything from either organization.  It seems that I’ve completely lost interest in it all and I’m happy.

I don’t play near as much as I used to and try to steer clear of any and all politics.  I don’t even own a club any more.  I really have found it much easier this way.  I still enjoy playing Flyball but I’m a lot less intense.  I’m writing this just to get the politics off the front page.  Plus I’m wondering how you are all doing.  Like I said, I don’t go to as many tournaments and I don’t see a lot of the people I used to see.  I’d like to know if the economy has changed your Flyball participation or if you have come to a place like I have i.e. enjoy it while playing but overall less intense.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Larry

I know that you have all heard the political rhetoric from both sides of the spectrum and are probably tired of it and want it all to be over.  However, I just received something that has started me thinking and has shed more light on an area that anyone interested in animal issues should review.  For me, it brings back thoughts of breed banning in parts of the United States and Canada.  I’ve tried to vent this as much as I could for errors and misrepresentation but there may be some.   After all, any time something involves politics you have to take it was a grain of salt.

I’ve given a lot of thought about whether I should post this or not but I thought it important enough to bring it to light in case you haven’t seen it and let you decide.  Notice I said, “you decide.”  This is not a forum where I want to discuss U.S. Politics but it has something to do with animal issues and protection and that is the only reason I decided to post it.

Larry

A SAOVA message to sportsmen, pet owners and farmers concerned about protecting their traditions, avocations and livelihoods from anti-hunting, anti-breeding, animal guardianship advocates. Forwarding and cross posting, with attribution, encouraged.

The Most Critical Election in your Lifetime
10/21/08

Dear Friends,

Early voting has already begun and November 4th is fast approaching.  The outcome of this election will have far reaching and long lasting impacts on animal agriculture, hunting, and animal ownership.  Amid all the political rhetoric and campaign ads, important serious warning alarms are sounded. The combination of a Democrat supermajority in Congress and a liberal Democratic president will structurally imbalance our government to historic proportions. Constitutional checks and balances will be voided, making this the most critical election in your lifetime. Every aspect of American life could change.

The Wall Street Journal editorial observes: “If the current polls hold, Barack Obama will win the White House on November 4 and Democrats will consolidate their Congressional majorities, probably with a filibuster-proof Senate or very close to it. Without the ability to filibuster, the Senate would become like the House, able to pass whatever the majority wants.”

In the area of animal issues, nearly 40 bills introduced on behalf of the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) weren’t passed by the 110th Congress.  Strong Democratic wins could be a guarantee that many of these bills are likely to become law in the next Congress.

In 2006 a GOP Senator blocked the horse slaughter bill from being heard and voted on the Senate floor.  More recently HR 6598, the horribly misguided and misleadingly named Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, received a favorable vote split along party lines.  HR6598 would turn horse owners and ranchers into felons for having a connection to a horse transported for slaughter. HR 6598 is likely to return in 2009. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=261648

The Pet Animal Welfare Statute 2005 (PAWS) was thwarted by a GOP and moderate controlled Senate Agriculture Committee in 2006 and was re-introduced in September by HSUS supporters as the Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS).  After 8 years of failed attempts to regulate retail dog breeders, will the 2008 election finally bring victory for HSUS in its goal to federally regulate home hobby dog breeding?

RESHAPING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

The next president will have extraordinary impact on the ideological shape of the nation’s federal courts for decades to come. It is likely the next president will appoint Supreme Court judges as six of the nine are turning 70. In addition, hundreds of federal and appellate judges will be appointed. Appellate appointments shape lasting constitutional interpretations and they cover multiple states. Although these require Congressional approval, that will be a slam-dunk if this election creates a Democratic supermajority. One out of three federal judges now owes a lifetime-tenured job to the current president.

The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that judges should interpret the law as it is written. Seventy-four percent (74%) of men favor that approach along with 65% of women. Sen. McCain supports that view and he has consistently campaigned on a “strict constructionist philosophy” for the courts.

Sen. Obama, on the other hand, believes that judges should be required to possess “empathy” and should “reach decisions on the basis of his deepest values, core concerns, and broader perspectives on how the world works.”  During the Roberts nomination debate, Sen. Obama stated, “Legal process alone will not lead you to a rule of decision. In those difficult cases, the critical ingredient is supplied by what is in the judge’s heart.”

Considering the skyrocketing number of lawsuits filed by HSUS and other animal rightist groups to ban hunting, change livestock regulations, and alter husbandry standards, the stakes are very high for the animal owning public.  The best interests of animal owners, hunters, and ranchers would not be served by liberal appointees who choose to rule based on imaginative and empathic interpretations of property rights and the constitution.

The world not only belongs to those who show up, it’s controlled by the best informed and most motivated. Vote on November 4th. It’s the most critical election in your lifetime.

Please cross post this message widely.

Susan Wolf
Director, Sportsmen’s and Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance (SAOVA)

The message above was posted to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky residents by the Sportsmen’s and Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance (SAOVA).

SAOVA is a nonpartisan volunteer group working to protect Americans from the legislative and political threats of radical animal rightists. It is the only national organization fighting this struggle for both sportsmen and animal owners, natural allies, in these arenas. Visit our website at http://saova.org for this program’s goals, methodology and list signup details.

I want to thank U-FLI for the Dream Team Challenge at the U-FLI Championships being held this weekend in Memphis.  I’ll get to the Challenge in a moment but first I want to thank Fetchin’ Frenzi for hosting the Championship events.  Along with the Dream Team Challenge (24 teams) and Singles (23 singles) and Pairs (6 pairs) Championships on Friday, the 2008 U-FLI Championship (36 teams) is being held today, along with the Barkin’ in Memphis Flyball Tournament today (41 teams) and Sunday (51 teams).  The events this weekend will be the largest in the Showcase of Dogs history bringing together teams from across the country to run in 3 rings.  The net proceeds from this large event will be donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research.

The Dream Team Challenge was truly a fun event for me.  With names like Dash Hounds (all Dachshund team), We’re Golden (all Golden Retriever team), A Bunch of Bull (you can figure it out), Aussome Aussies, We Are Family, and many others it was really a unique and fun event.  I raced with the We Are Family team and had a great time.

The We Are Family team consisted of Promise, Sue Ethier (Rude Dogs), Future, Sharron Nevens (Rude Dogs), Snitch, Russ Helganz (RPM Dog Sports), Legend and Relay, Sue Rogers (RPM Dog Sports), and Dice, Larry Worrilow (Rogues Gallery).  Legend was the sire of Promise, Future, Relay, and Dice and Snitch the height dog was a half sister to the siblings.

We Are Family

For not ever running together, the dogs just fell into step with one another.  No one planned to take 2^nd place in division 1, but the dogs ran so well together turning in a best time of 17.2 seconds.  It was really great fun for me and I want to thank everyone that participated.  I’m looking forward to next year.

Larry

Right here on this blog there is an ad for a t-shirt that says “It’s not flyball ’til there’s blood”.  We flyballers laugh cause we’ve all had the scrapes, and unintended bites.  It comes with playing an extreme sport.

Most of the time it’s nothing more serious than scratches and scrapes, but sometimes it’s a lot more serious.  After a few tournaments where some serious injuries happened, I took a hard look at my team’s first aid kit.  I started a discussion on the Flyball Forum on what to have in a kit.

If your team doesn’t have a first aid kit you take to tournaments here is a great opportunity to figure out what to include.

Connie

Name: Shadow
Breed: Mix
Owner/Handler: Karen Larkin
Club: Pawsitive Attitudes Flyball Team

At the Ballistics River Run tournament in Vassar, Michigan on Aug 31, 2008 Shadow became the first dog to earn 150,000 NAFA points.

Thank you Pawsitive Attitudes! Flyball is a team sport, without the help and support of the team, Shadow and I could have never accomplished earning 150,000 points. Flyball is a wonderful way to have fun with our dogs. One hundred and fifty thousand points in Flyball is an unbelievable accomplishment. Shadow is an amazing dog - a Flyball dog - solid and sturdy - a dog with longevity - year after year of solid racing. Years ago when Hobbes was the first dog to reach 100,000 points, someone predicted that shadow would reach 150,000 points, I could not believe it; the Hobbes Award was still so far away. 150,000 points is an amazing milestone for a senior, veteran Flyball dog. My first dog, Kala, raced for over ten years, retiring with just under 13,000 points.

Play Flyball, have fun, and the points just add up.

• In 1988, my husband and I adopted a dog, Kala, through the Michigan Human society. We took her to obedience classes and that is when we learned about Flyball. As Kala got older, we wanted to add another dog to the family.
• We started looking for a new dog at all the shelter and rescue groups in the area. When we went to Canada for a Flyball tournament, we were told about a husband who had border collies and his wife who had border terriers. They had some puppies left that they needed to find homes for.
• When we played with the pups that were left, (eighteen weeks old) Shadow always ended up with the tennis ball and brought it to us. He also seemed to have the most outgoing personality. Because he seemed to be a natural for Flyball, we chose to take Shadow home. Originally, we wanted, a female, so in a way Shadow picked us.
• Shadow has been involved in Flyball since he was one year old.  Shadow has all available Flyball titles thru the Hobbes Award. He was the third dog to earn the Hobbes Award.

Titles Earned

FD, FDX, FDCH, FDCH-S, FDCH-G, FM, FMX, FMCH, ONYX, Flyball Grand Champion, FG40K, FG50K, FG60K, FG70K, FG80K, FG90K, HOBBES, FG110K, FG120K, FG130K, FG140K, FG150K

Special Honors

• Andy Pee-Wee All Stars -Tailspinners Bolton, ON June 1999
• Totally Awesome Height Dog - SmokinPaws Belleville, MI May 2001
• Flyball Icon Award- “For a Flyball dog that everyone knows by name regardless of the region they hail from. A dog that sets a new standard to which all other Flyball dogs will be measured. A competitor who truly raises the bar in our sport to a status level that others dream to someday reach.”  Donated by Hobbes & Gary Mueller Ballistics River Run Sept 4th & 5th 2004

NAFA Top Pointed Dogs

• 09/30/00 - 113 of 9133dogs
• 09/30/01 - 16 of 10747dogs
• 09/30/02 - 3 of 12213dogs
• 09/30/03 - 3 of 13575dogs
• 09/30/04 - 2 of 15009dogs
• 09/30/05 - 1 of 16405dogs
• 09/30/06 - 1 of 17682 dogs
• 09/30/07 - 1 of 18933 dogs

NAFA Breed Mix

• 09/30/00 - 10 of 1238 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/01 - 3 of 1478 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/02 - 2 of 1725 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/03 - 2 of 1984 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/04 - 1 of 2241 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/05 - 1 of 2545 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/06 - 1 of 2809 mix breed dogs
• 09/30/07 - 1 of 3078 mix breed dogs

NAFA Top Point Earning Dogs

• 1998 - 85 of 6486 dogs - points earned 5352
• 1999 -15 of 7685 dogs - points earned 10934
• 2000 - 4 of 9133 dogs - points earned 12333
• 2001 - 1 of 10747 dogs - points earned 25751 - World Record
• 2002 - 1 of 12213 dogs - points earned 23400
• 2003 - 1 of 13575 dogs - points earned 17143
• 2004 - 8 of 15009 dogs - points earned 17177
• 2005 - 10 of 16405 dogs - points earned 15187
• 2006  - 119 of 17682 dogs - points earned 9699

Karen Larkin

Karen has other dogs of special note, Isaac and Kala, and you can view and read about them on the Pawsitive Attiudes Flyball Team Website.

Larry